need
/niːd/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
nauthiz — distress, necessity
Overview
Meaning Now
- A requirement or necessity for something.
- A state of poverty or misfortune; destitution.
- A situation requiring specific action or resources.
Literal older meaning
force, compulsion, or constraint
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
nīed
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word traces back to a Germanic concept of 'distress' or 'forced labor', reflecting the urgency often associated with survival or obligation in early agrarian societies.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
nauthiz
“distress, necessity”
- Old English
nīed
“necessity, hardship, duty”
- Middle English
nede
“necessity, lack, want”
- Modern English
need
“requirement, lack, destitution”
Connections
Word parts
need
root
necessity
Related across languages
German
Not
distress, emergency
Dutch
nood
need, emergency
Old Norse
nauðr
need, distress
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Related to need
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.